In studies of inter-organizational relations (lOR's), there is a tendency to look at dyads of flrms, and to consider networks as aggregates of such dyads. But there are several roles for a third party; a go-between. This chapter looks at a go-between not in the sense of a middleman who intermediates in existing production or trade, such as an agent, wholesaler, retailer, and not in the sense of an entrepreneur who intermediates in the realization of new potential in connecting supply and demand. It looks at a go between in the sense of a relationship counsellor for the development and maintenance of social capital; providing support in setting up, adapting and ending cooperative relations between others. Or, in yet different terms: to help in the embedding of relati ons, in Granovetter's (1985) sense (Uzzi 1997a). Such roles may be performed by middlemen or entrepreneurs, but also by specialized agents who do not playa direct role in linking stages in a chain of production and distribution, as middlemen and entrepreneurs typically do. Indeed, some of the roles require an independence that is served by not having a direct stake in the relations that need to be developed. I propose that the analysis yields a perspective for looking at the roles of trade and industry associations in European business systems, and of banks and trading houses in Japanese enterprise groups (Kigyo Shudan).

This book focuses on the concepts of social capital, corporate social responsibility, and economic development in relation to economic theory of institutions and behavioural economics. It also takes a macroeconomic and empirical approach, on the relationship between social capital, ethical behaviour and economic development.

Volume 22 of Research in Organizational Behavior continues the tradition of innovation and theoretical development with eight diverse papers. Most of these papers present theory and propositions that make linkages between different levels of analysis.

This Handbook draws on a global team of distinguished Human Resource Development and IHRD scholars to provide research and practice insights on a range of contemporary IHRD issues and challenges. The Handbook reviews a number of critical contextual dimensions that: shape the IHRD goals that organisations pursue; impact the IHRD systems, policies and practices that are implemented; and influence the types of IHRD research questions that are investigated. The Handbook examines the processes or actions taken by organisations to globalise IHRD practices and discusses important people development practices that come within the scope of IHRD.

This volume illuminates the processes by which social networks in work organizations can effectively generate, sustain and ameliorate social inequalities across individuals, firms and occupational fields. It offers valuable insights that inform researchers and policy makers regarding issues of workplace discrimination, diversity and innovation.

Combines classic and cutting-edge scholarship on personal social networks. A must-have resource for both newcomers and seasoned experts.

The field of Human Resource Development (HRD) has grown in prominence as an independent discipline from its roots in both management and education since the 1980s. There has been continual debate about the boundaries of HRD ever since. Drawing on a wide and respected international contributor base and with a focus on international markets, this book provides a thematic overview of current knowledge in HRD across the globe. The text is separated into nine sections which explore the origins of the field, adjacent and related fields, theoretical approaches, policy perspectives, interventions, core issues and concerns, HRD as a profession, HRD around the world, and emerging topics and future trends. An epilogue rounds off the volume by considering the present and future states of the discipline, and suggesting areas for further research. The Routledge Companion to Human Resource Development is an essential resource for researchers, students and HRD professionals alike.

Corporate Entrepreneurship and Venturing is positioned at the crossroads of the strategy and entrepreneurship fields. The common theme is how and why corporate entrepreneurship and corporate venturing can contribute to innovation and strategic renewal in large established companies, in particular it explores ways to balance exploitation and exploration in established companies. The issue is how the locus of entrepreneurship affects the way corporate entrepreneurship addresses the exploitation/exploration challenge. In some chapters corporate entrepreneurship is dispersed across the organization and they examine the key elements of an entrepreneurial culture and the organizational conditions that are favorable to entrepreneurial initiatives. The other chapters contribute to the discussion on the potential role of corporate venturing which is separated from the main parts of the organization. They examine the advantages and disadvantages of corporate venture capital programs as particular forms of focused corporate entrepreneurship.

Collaboration of organizations reshapes traditional managerial practices and creates new inter-organizational contexts for strategy, coordination and control, information and knowledge management. Heralded as organizational forms of the future, networks are at the same time fragile and precarious organizational arrangements, which regularly fail. In order to investigate the new realities created by technology-enabled forms of network organizations and to address the emerging managerial challenges, this book introduces an integrative view on inter-firm network management. Centred on a network life cycle perspective, strategic, economic and relational facets of business networking are explored. The network management framework is illustrated onto a broad range of European inter-firm network examples in various industries rendering insights for new management practices.

"This book provides a comprehensive understanding and coverage of the various theories, models and related research approaches used within IS research"--Provided by publisher.